Obverse. Photo © Heritage Auctions
  • 20 Mils 1927-1941, KM# 5, Mandatory Palestine
  • 20 Mils 1927-1941, KM# 5, Mandatory Palestine
Description

Mandatory Palestine was a geopolitical entity established between 1920 and 1923 in the Middle East roughly corresponding the region of Palestine, as part of the Partition of the Ottoman Empire under the terms of the British Mandate for Palestine.

During the British Mandate period the area experienced the ascent of two major nationalist movements, one among the Jews and the other among the Arabs. The competing national interests of the Arab and Jewish populations of Palestine against each other and against the governing British authorities matured into the Arab Revolt of 1936–1939 and the Jewish insurgency in Mandatory Palestine, before culminating in the Civil War of 1947–1948. The aftermath of the Civil War and the consequent 1948 Arab–Israeli War led to the establishment of the 1949 cease-fire agreement, with partition of the former Mandatory Palestine between the newborn state of Israel with a Jewish majority, the Arab West Bank annexed by the Jordanian Kingdom and the Arab All-Palestine Protectorate in the Gaza Strip under Egypt.

Obverse

Central hole, encircled by a stylized olive wreath, surrounded by Palestine in Hebrew, English and Arabic with a date in English and Arabic below the hole.

For the Hebrew lettering of Palestine "פלשתינה" there is a small acronym after it in brakes "(א"י)", which is shortened for "ארץ ישראל" (Land of Israel), the name used since biblical times to the present by the Jewish people for the geographical area that made up the lands of ancient Judea and later the State of Israel.

(פלשתינה(א"י • PALESTINE • فلسطين
1941
١٩٤١

Reverse

Central hole surrounded by the value in Hebrew, English and Arabic.

20 MILS
מילים
٢٠ مل

Edge

20 Mils

KM# 5 Schön# 5
Characteristics
Material Cupronickel
Weight 11.33 g
Diameter 30.5 mm
Thickness 2.2 mm
Shape round with a center hole
Alignment Medal
Mint
Royal Mint

Related coins

Bronze, 11.3 g, ⌀ 30.5 mm